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Hackney shops stopped from selling potentially dangerous hoverboards

Ten potentially dangerous hoverboards were surrendered to Hackney Council’s trading standards by two local shop owners.

As part of a London-wide action day trading standards officers visited 20 shops on Friday 11 December, likely to be selling the self-balancing board, commonly known as a hoverboard.

Only two shops had them in stock. The first, had one that was damaged and not for sale. The second had nine, which were voluntarily surrendered. Another will be recalled from a customer and handed over to trading standards at a later date, taking the total to eleven. Further tests and investigations will be carried out on the surrendered hoverboards before deciding on what action to take against the shop owners.

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These hoverboards have caused fires and explosions and by visiting shops that are likely to sell these products, trading standards are stopping potentially dangerous pieces of equipment from making it to the streets of Hackney.

Cllr Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor, Hackney Council

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This pan-London action day comes on the back of recent incidents across the country of hoverboards malfunctioning, overheating and exploding when left unattended.

Hackney Council’s Trading Standards Officers found that the surrendered hoverboards had charging units without the cut-off switch, which stops the battery charging when it’s fully charged, and they alsohad substandard plugs without fuses, which could allow the device to overheat and later explode.

Safety watchdogs have inspected 17,000 hoverboards that have been imported into the UK since October.Of those, 15,000 - or 88 per cent - have been found to be defective. Many were destined to be sold as Christmas presents.